On Feyerabend’s Scientific Methodology

The system of Feyerabend’s scientific methodology was built on the fundamentalprinciple--"anything goes". Feyerabend was influenced by V.Kraft and K.Popper. His earlyphilosophy had some materialism factors. However, his philosophy changed a lot owe toKuhn and some other people. He pushed relativism factor in Kuhn’s system to the extreme,and brought forward a philosophy of science theory which he named it Pluralist theory ofScientific Methodology.Feyerabend thought that scientific methodology was pluralist. The only principle ofFeyerabend’s Scientific Methodology was "anything goes". In addition, he proposedcounter-inductive principle, proliferation principle and tenacity principle. Thecounter-inductive principle is different from traditional induction. It requires that new theorymust be inconsistent with the accepted theory and well-established facts. In his opinion,principle of tenacity was something like that: choosing one theory which is the most hopefulto achieve the biggest fruit among several theories, and insisting on it even you meet sometrouble. Feyerabend thought that principle of proliferation advocates multiplication. Principleof proliferation asks for building and developing new theory conflicted with the acceptedtheory. This principle encourages new theory to be conflicted with the accepted theory, evenaccepted theory was generally admitted. Theories were to multiplication from this, and peoplecould consult each other.Feyerabend scientific methodology against monist methodology and promotes pluralistmethodology, which contributes to the development and perfection of scientific methodology.It is helpful to the protection of cultural diversity. Besides it encourages people’s creativedevelopment and promotes human freedom and development.